SEC Extends Comment Period for Proposed Rules on Climate-Related Disclosures, Reopens Comment Periods for Proposed Rules Regarding Private Fund Advisers and Regulation ATS

Washington D.C. — The Securities and Exchange Commission this week announced that it has extended the public comment period on the proposed rulemaking to enhance and standardize climate-related disclosures for investors until June 17, 2022. The SEC also announced that it will reopen the comment periods on the proposed rulemaking to enhance private fund investor protection and on the...

SEC Announces Older Investor Roundtable Virtual Event on April 28

Washington D.C. — The Securities and Exchange Commission will hold a virtual event on April 28 along with the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) and the AARP to examine the latest challenges and issues affecting the senior investor community. The Older Investor Roundtable will include panel discussions geared toward older investors, consumer advocates, and financial professionals nationwide as topics...

SEC Charges Archegos and its Founder with Massive Market Manipulation Scheme

Multiple Archegos Executives Charged with Misleading Counterparties Washington D.C. — The Securities and Exchange Commission has charged Sung Kook (Bill) Hwang, the owner of family office Archegos Capital Management, LP (Archegos), with orchestrating a fraudulent scheme that resulted in billions of dollars in losses. The SEC also charged Archegos’s Chief Financial Officer, Patrick Halligan; head trader, William Tomita; and Chief...

Idaho Man Pleads Guilty for Role in Tribal Fraud Scheme

PORTLAND, Ore. — A resident of the Fort Hall Reservation in Idaho and former CEO of the Warm Springs Economic Development Corporation (WSEDC) has pleaded guilty for his role in a fraud scheme targeting the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. Roderick Ariwite, 66, pleaded guilty to theft of funds from a tribal organization and interstate transportation of a security taken...

SEC Proposes Rules to Include Certain Significant Market Participants as “Dealers” or “Government Securities Dealers”

Washington D.C. — The Securities and Exchange Commission has proposed proposed two rules that would require market participants, such as proprietary (or principal) trading firms, who assume certain dealer functions, in particular those who as act as liquidity providers in the markets, to register with the SEC, become members of a self-regulatory organization (SRO), and comply with federal securities...

Wall Street’s Favorite Four-Letter Word

Wall Street has a new obsession: special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs). SPACs are an alternative to the traditional way businesses raise money known as initial public offerings (IPOs). Since January 1, 2021 SPACs have raised over $88 billion, making up 83 percent of public offerings this year and raising more money than they did in all of 2020. As investment banks and professional investors celebrate this booming...

The exposé Hadari Oshri and her attorney tried to stop wins LA Press Club award

AN IMPORTANT NOTE: On June 22, 2021, Hadari Oshri –Marc Lubaszka’s business partner– filed a civil harassment restraining order (CHRO) against Investor News reporter Aitana Vargas to stop the publication of her investigative series “A Special Report: The Harrowing Impunity of White-Collar crime,” and any subsequent installments or future media coverage. On August 3, 2021, Vargas filed an anti-SLAPP...

Former CFO of Publicly Traded Brazilian Company Charged in Fraud Scheme

A superseding indictment was unsealed today in the Southern District of Iowa charging the former Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of publicly traded reinsurance company, IRB Brasil Resseguros SA, aka IRB Brasil RE (IRB), for fraudulently propping up its stock price by spreading false information that U.S. investment firm Berkshire Hathaway Inc. had invested in IRB. According to court documents, Fernando...

Hadari Oshri’s meritless legal plan and sloppy PR campaign backfired

Los Angeles (CA) – Probably 2021 was not a year for the books for Hadari Oshri. And things aren't looking up in 2022 either. Last year, the American-Israeli entrepreneur lost her meritless restraining order case against me. My anti-SLAPP court win was a powerful reminder of why First Amendment Rights are celebrated, honored and protected by Americans. And as an...

Call Center Operators charged with fraud in $58 million penny stock scheme

Washington D.C. – The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced fraud charges against five individuals for allegedly operating a call center in Medellin, Colombia, which used high pressure sales tactics and made false and misleading statements to retail investors to convince them to buy the stocks of small companies trading in the U.S. markets. According to the SEC’s complaint, filed...